The Concentration of Isotopes by the Evaporative Centrifuge Method

Abstract

The air-driven vacuum-type tubular centrifuge has been used for the concentration of the isotopes of chlorine by the "evaporative" centrifuge method. The separations obtained were about the same as predicted by the theory provided the experimental conditions approximately conformed to the assumptions of the theory. With a steel tube 11\ensuremath{''} long and 3\ensuremath{''} inside diameter, containing baffles to prevent remixing, and spinning at 1060 r.p.s., carbon tetrachloride vapor could be withdrawn from the axis at the rate of 3.2 grams per minute without decreasing the separation factor. This separation factor for chlorine, which at any instant is the ratio of the concentrations of the light to heavy isotopes at the axis, divided by the same ratio at the periphery, was 1.025 in the above case. It is believed that the method is practical in the case of the heavier elements.